Icheon Korean BBQ with giant bibimbap: Jeongsiljangne Ppalgan Gogi

A little while ago, I visited a new hot spot in Icheon's food alley. It was Jeongsiljangne Ppalgan Gogi, a sister restaurant of Jeongsiljangne Suljip!

The atmosphere at Jeongsiljangne Ppalgan Gogi near Icheon Terminal

Jeongsiljangne Ppalgan Gogi is in the food alley across from Icheon Terminal. Since it is a red-meat restaurant, even the freestanding sign is red, haha.

There are nine round tables inside. I visited at lunchtime, so it was not too busy, but apparently it fills up quickly on weekday evenings! It has not been open long, but it already seems to have a reputation as a great restaurant~

Signature dishes and what we ordered

As the name suggests, red-marinated meat is the signature here. Meal options include bowl bibimbap and udon, with extra rice and rolled omelet available. There is also a wide range of drinks: three kinds of soju, two kinds of beer, Cheongha, Starlight Cheongha, Hallasan, Hwayo, and Ilpum Jinro. I ordered red fresh pork belly for two and bowl bibimbap.

They are running an event where you get one bottle of soju for writing a receipt review. If you like a drink, definitely leave a receipt review, haha.

If you do not drink soju, you can change it to a soft drink!

Banchan served in a homestyle set-meal style

The basic spread is quite impressive. You get rolled omelet (also available as a paid extra), lettuce, shredded scallions, kkakdugi radish kimchi, seasoned shredded radish, kimchi, garlic, ssamjang, and a spicy sauce, plus refreshing water kimchi! I heard the owner makes all the side dishes personally. It is just like a homestyle set-meal restaurant, and I really loved it 👍🏻👍🏻

A basic rolled omelet comes with the meal, and the moment I took a bite, I understood why there is an extra-omelet option. It was seriously sooo good, haha.

Red fresh pork belly grilled by the staff

Just as I was marveling over the rolled omelet, our two servings of red fresh pork belly arrived. The meat came piled up like a mountain, with the marinade gleaming beautifully, haha. You cannot help staring at it as if hypnotized. But apparently it is not a gochujang marinade...? Then what is it!?

Since there were no other customers during the day and they had time, a staff member grilled the meat for us! Marinated meat needs to be turned often, so we said we could grill it ourselves because we worried it would be hard work, but they said it was fine and grilled it all the way through. Thanks to them, it was delicious and so easy to enjoy ><

I took this because it was funny—hoo-ahng,,, haha. Just like my chopsticks, which could not stay still for a second while hoping the meat would cook quickly, that friend could not keep still either... haha.

Once the meat was cooked perfectly, the staff member placed each piece on our plates. It felt like having omakase~~~ ^.^ The well-cooked red meat reminded me of yeoltan bulgogi I used to eat near university. I loved the charcoal aroma absorbed into the meat and the savory marinade too.

It was delicious with shredded scallions too,

and also wrapped in perilla leaves and lettuce, haha.

The very generous bowl bibimbap

After finishing the meat, we ordered bowl bibimbap. At first I wondered whether it was expensive, but it turned out to be for two people. The photo does not really show its size, but it is seriously a lot, haha. I would say it is more than two servings.

Mixing it all up and digging in~ It was delicious, packed with fresh vegetables and namul seasoned vegetables.

They also gave us napa cabbage doenjang soup as a palate cleanser! Looking at other reviews, it does not seem to be a regular menu item. But it was seriously so good ㅠㅠㅠㅠ There is a restaurant specializing in napa cabbage doenjang soup near my home, and this was even better. Really, haha. Owner, when are you appearing on the Korean cuisine battle show?

Final thoughts on marinated pork belly in Icheon's food alley

Jeongsiljangne Ppalgan Gogi is a gochujang pork belly restaurant in Icheon's food alley. I recommend it to anyone craving marinated pork belly with loads of charcoal aroma and peak savoriness! The meat is great, but the bowl bibimbap is truly the best. If you visit Jeongsiljangne, be sure to try the bowl bibimbap~!